The People First Party (PFP) yesterday denied reports that its chairman, James Soong (宋楚瑜), allegedly received kickbacks from a 1991 deal to purchase six Lafayette-class frigates and said that it would seek legal action against anyone who continues to spread such false reports.
Soong, and others, was listed in the “Suisse Secrets” investigation, under the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, and was shown to have, at one point, a maximum balance of 13,677,418 Swiss francs (US$14,884,177 at the current exchange rate) in a Credit Suisse account, which was opened in 1993 and closed in 2010.
The description of the account reads: “The Kuomintang (KMT) took him to court claiming he embezzled millions of dollars of the party’s funds, though the charges were eventually dropped. Later, Soong was accused by a former French foreign minister of receiving kickbacks from a 1991 navy procurement deal, signed while he was secretary-general of the KMT.”
Photo: CNA
The PFP called claims that former French minister of foreign affairs Roland Dumas gave Soong money preposterous.
Similar claims had been made before and investigated, with nothing pointing back at Soong, it added.
The party said it had provided statements and proofs refuting the claims of “certain individuals who have decided to translate foreign articles” to accuse Soong.
The government should issue a statement on the Lafayette issue to clear Soong’s name, the PFP said.
The party will take legal action against any person or media corporation accusing Soong of embezzling state funds, or alleging that he was implicated in the Lafayette case, it added.
Speaking with reporters in Taipei last night following an event to celebrate Japanese Emperor Naruhito’s birthday, Soong denied involvement in the scandal.
He said the allegations had been fabricated by the KMT in the run-up to the election in 2000, in an effort to discredit him and his supporters.
Soong also denied knowledge of funds linked to him in the Credit Suisse leak.
Separately, asked whether Taipei Deputy Mayor Vivian Huang (黃珊珊), a PFP member, should make a statement, Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said he had asked Huang whether she would care to comment, but Huang said she was only a college senior at the time and would not know such things.
One should verify their source and ask those involved directly for comments, not those who have no connection with the case, Ko said.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
RSS